Game



Auge 15, 1944 lH. F. scoFlELD A 2,355,927

GAME

Filed Feb. 16. 1944 FILJ.

N {@9 H{@ J{@ om N K Mama-T@ ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. l5, 1944 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE This invention relates to a game of thetype which calls for the players accuracy of deduction based upon a process of elimination and upon his skill in visualizing the probabilities of winning, and of making his plays accordingly.

More specically, the game of my invention is of such nature that success in playing it is based upon correctly determining the identity of a symbol which appears on the concealed face of a double faced playing element, and this in turn depends upon selection by the player from a limited number of possibilities of that one which is the most probable considering the number and identity of the elements available for the particular play he is making. The player can determine, before he attempts to identify a symbol, the exact ratio of his chances of failure or success in identitying it correctly. l

The elements to be used in playing the game may be of any convenient form, marked distinctively on two faces, one of which is normally exposed to view, the other concealed. Preferably all of the markings bear such relations to each other that all could be grouped in a single classification or category. For example, each marked face might bear a number, each might be of ardistinctive color, each might bear a pictorial illustration of a fruit, or of an animal, or the head thereof, or may bear any otherdesired related markings.

It will be obvious that the number of playing pieces used and thev number of different symbols appearing thereon will be mutually dependent; thus, if 1|, different symbols (numbers, colors, animals, illustrations or the like) are used, the number of playing elements required will be While any number of symbols within reason might lSimilar I reference characters denote similar parts in the respective figures of the drawing.

Equipment for playing the game of my invention may include a number of playing elements in the form of disks, one face of which will during play be normally exposed, the other concealed. Each disk'bears on each face thereof a distinctive indicium, as indicated by the'illustration of disks A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and Jin Figure 1; game board as illustrated in Figure 2; cup for shaking the playing elements and a number of, say 50,

counters, the possession of which by a player indicates his status in the game. The cup and the counters are not illustrated as they may be of any conventional form, and constitute no part of the invention.

By reference to Figure 1, it will be noted that no two-of the pieces or disks A to J inclusive bear the same combination of markings, but are so marked as to include all of the different combinations of five diiTerent things taken two at a time. Thus the piece A may be marked with a single dot on one face and with two dots on the other face, and there is no other piece which is marked with a single dot on one face and two dots on the other face; the piece G is marked with two dots on one face and ve dots on the other face, but no other piece having two dots on one face has also ve dots on the other. Thus it will be further noted that one of all possible combinations of the first five numbers, that is, 1 2; 1 3; 1 4; 1 5; 2 3; 2 4; 2 5; 3 4; 3 5; 4 5, appears on one, and only one, piece;

The board, illustrated in Figure 2, is preferably rectangular, two of the sides thereof being longer than the other two. Arranged along the be employed, I prefer to provide five, thus necessitating ten playing elements.

The nature of my game, and the mannerA of playing it, will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a View showing iront and back faces of the playing pieces as marked according to one embodiment of my invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of a game board during the progress of a game, showing (a) an example of how the pieces might appear when arranged according to the rules of the-game immediately after they have been thrown and before'the play commences; and (b) the position of the same pieces at the end oi the game. v

long sides is a series of enclosed spaces K, one for each different symbol appearing on the playing elements, and each space bears a legend denoting the symbol it represents. In the gure, the spaces areshown as five in number, and numbered consecutively from one to ve, but with other playing elements there might be more, or fewer spaces and they might be otherwise marked. Also the spaces are shown as rectangular but may be of any desired contour. Corresponding spaces on opposite sides of the board are ljoined by vertical lines, the number of lines increasing consecutively from one side of the board to the other. Thus spaces I, I are joined by one line, 2, 2 by two lines, 5, 5

` by five lines. The space between the lines joining the spaces 2, 2 is colored'red and the space between the second and third lines joining the spaces 4, -4 is colored blue for ease of identification. A similar series of lines intersects these lines at right angles, and again the space between the first and second of the two lines is colored red, and the space between the second and third of the four lines is colored blue. The intersection points corresponding to non-existent playing pieces, namely, 1 1, 2 2, 3 3, 4 4, 5 5 have special distinctive markings, as L. Were such playing pieces included, the number of elements required would be but this addition though not changing the principle of the game based on Mrt- 1) 2 elements would through the addition of n elements without any addition of symbols, reduce the probability of guessing correctly and thus complicate the play and detract from its enjoyment.

While the game, which I name Quantic may be played by anynurnber of players, I prefer to describe it as it would be played by the two persons X and Y. The board is placed between the players with the numbered spaces facing them, and the counters are divided between them, each one taking twenty-five. The game consists of three rounds. If X is the first player, he shakes the disks, throws them on the board and arranges them in the rectangles nearest him which correspond respectively to the number of dots carried by the exposed face of each. He then selects a disk and calls out the number of dots which he believes are on the concealed face of that disk. Having called the number, he reverses the disk, and if he is correct, he receives a counter from his opponent; if he is Wrong, he gives a counter to his opponent. In either event, he places the disk, with the formerly concealed face up, on

the line or lines emanating from the space from 40 which it was chosen, at the point where it intersects the number of lines corresponding to the number borne by the face now exposed.

The player Y now selects a disk and makes his guess as to what is on the concealed face, ascertains the correctness of his guess, the appropriate exchange of counters takes place, and the disk is placed at the proper intersection point on the board. Thus the play is continued until nine of the disks have been played completing half of the first round of the game. The second half of the iirst round only varies in that Y now throws the disks on the board and makes the first selection.

If a player has on any play identified correctly the concealed face of a disk which, when reversed and properly placed on the board, isthe third one on the same horizontal line or lines, the result is called Quantic and the player receives two counters from his opponent in addition to thesingle counter for correctly identifying the symbol on the concealed face of the disk. vIf he correctly identiiies the concealed symbol of the fourth disk so placed, he has Double Quantic and receives four eXtra counters.

After completion of the rst round, the single disk remaining is termed the Rover. The tenth disk, which in this case is the Rover, isV never played because the identity of its concealed face is certain, not speculative, but during the second round of the game both players are'supposed to remember its identity. However, the reward for identifying the Rover correctly, or the penalty for miscalling it, is two counters.

In the third round of the 'gameythe Rover is not used, and the player throwing the ten disks is required to identify the indicia on the concealed face of any nine disks. Rewards are collected, or penalties paid, after each attempted identication.

In case there are three, four or more players, a round is divided into a corresponding number of parts, so that each player has his chance to make the throw and the iirst attempted identification. Rewards are collected from, and penalties paid to, the player on ones left. A player making a Quantic or a Double Quantic receives the required number of counters from each of the other players.

The method of reasoning by which identiiication of va concealed indicum may be made with reasonable accuracy will be apparent from the following example Suppose that player X has thrown the elements and arranged them in those spaces nearest him which are numbered correspondingly to the number appearing on the visible face of the element, and that these are as they appear at A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and J as shown in Figure 2. Player X now considers what concealed face he may guess the identity of with the greatest probability of success, and guesses that the concealed face of G bears a 3; reasoning that since all -the 1s are visible, there must be among the remaining six pieces, two with 3 concealed and two with 5 concealed but only one with 2 concealed and one with 4 concealed. However it is evident that the disk with the 3 5 combination is either I or G. Thus the probability that the concealed face of G bears a 3 is the same as the probability that the concealed face of I bears a 5. Having made his guess X turns the piece G, iinds that he was wrong (that the number was 2), gives Y a counter and places G in its proper position G on the board, with the 2 visible.

Y now states that the under face of I bears a 5. This is obviously not a guess but a certainty, since there is only one combination 3 5 and no visible 5 unplayed on the board. For his correct identification he receives a counter from X. Y now places the element on the board at I with the 5 visible.

X now definitely knows that E and F bear on the under faces a 3 or a 4 (since 5 2 has 4been played and one of the ls conceals a 2, leaving 2 3 and 2 4 as the only possible remaining combinations) but no way of knowing which conceals which. Knowing this he can deduce further that H and J each conceals either a .3 or a 5. Thus in case of either E and F or H and J the probability of his correctly identifying the concealed indicium is one-half. Assume that he guesses that the identity of the concealed indicium on H is 3, which happens to be correct, he receives a counter from Y and places his piece on the board at H with the 3 Visible. Y

Y now knows for a certainty that the concealed face of J bears a 5 (4 1 being in either'A, B, C or'D, 4 2 in either E or F, and 4 3 having just been played). He makes his identification, receives a counter from X and places his piece at J with the 5 visible. Y is now two counters ahead.

X now speculates on his equal chances of correctly or incorrectly identifying the concealed face of E or F, decides that F conceals a 3, iinds it to conceal a 4, gives Y a counter, and places F at F' with the 4 visible. v

Y now knows that YE conceals a 3 (that being the only possibility as above explained), so identies it, receives a counter from X and places E at E with the 3 visible.

Y now is four counters ahead, but it is evident that Quantic-three pieces on the same horizontal linesmay rbe scored both on the 3 line and on the line.

X, trying for Quantic in a 1 to 4 probability, guesses that the concealed face of A is 3, he finds it to be a 2, gives Y a counter, and places A on the board at A with the 2 visible.

By process of elimination it may be deduced that the remaining elements B, C, D, conceal indicia 3, 4 and 5. Y now guesses that C conceals a 5, because if his guess is correct he will get Quantic. He nnds it to conceal a 4, gives X a counter and places C at C with the 4 visible.

With his probability of success one-half, X makes the ninth and final guess. He states that B conceals a 3, finds he is correct, receives a counter from Y, places his element at B', and receives from Y two additional counters for getting Quantic. Now, with half the round over, X has lost only one counter.

The tenth disk is never identified, as by process of elimination its identity is always certain (in this case D conceals a 5). If this were the end of the first round instead of merely the end of the rst half, this 1-5 combination would be the Rover for the second round.

In suggesting that the disks when thrown to start the game might appear as shown in Figure 2, a simple arrangement of the disks was selected. The purpose of this was to coniine all the early guessing or identifying of disks to the six disks E, F, G, H, I, J, for until these six disks are called it would be inadvisable to choose among A, B, C or D which only oier a 1 in 4 probability. Rarely in a throw of ten disks do four disks appear with the identical number revealed, but such a throw offers a splendid opportunity to explain the game and permits the beginner to grasp it readily. The more frequent combinations of a throw of ten disks (without any four alike) require more mental reckoning and reward the players with more interesting possibilities often including double Quantic.

Under certain conditions a player may deem it inadvisable to attempt an identification in which he has the greatest probability of success, for by planning ahead he may assure himself of a future certain identication. For example, where ve pieces have ben played and there are two unplayed pieces in one space and three in another, by attempting to identify the concealed face of one of the three (probability of success one to three) he assures himself of a later certain identication since whichever space his opponent picks from, there will be no uncertainty about the one piece remaining in that space.

Ii players like a game in which counters change hands very rapidly they can permit the player whose turn it is to call to continue calling as long as he calls correctly. If this procedure is followed and the ninth disk is called correctly, the next throw of the disks is made by the player who called the ninth disk.

Where colors are used instead of numerical indicia, as for example red instead of 1, orange instead of 2, yellow instead of 3, green instead of 4, blue instead of 5, it is the color combinations of the several pieces with which the player is concerned and the color of the concealed face of a piece which the player must correctly identify in order to score. Similarly, where pictorial combinations are used, it is the concealed picture which the player must identify. In either case the playing board will be appropriately adjusted.

While one embodiment of the invention has been specifically described to illustrate the principles of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention may have various embodiments within the scope of the appended claims.

The playing board, marked as described, is a very desirable part of the game equipment because of its convenient means for segregating elements according to the symbols on both faces and of determining when a Quantic has been scored. However the board is not a necessary part of the equipment as the game may be played just as well, though not as easily, on a bare table.

I claim as my invention:

1. A game apparatus comprising a plurality of playing elements, each having a face thereof normally exposed and one normally concealed, each of said faces bearing as a distinctive indicium a single one of a group of related symbols, the number of related symbolsI and the number of playing elements being to each other as n is to and a playing board having marked out on opposite parallel sides thereof one enclosed space corresponding to each different symbol used, with each such enclosed space having therein a distinctive indicium representing said symbol, said enclosed spaces being arranged in alignment parallel to the said sides of the board, spaces marked with corresponding symbols being connected by a series of straight lines parallel to the other two sides of the board, and progressively increasing in number across the board as each set of corresponding spaces is joined, the first set of spaces being joined by a single straight line and the last by as many parallel straight lines as there are symbols, and a second similar Series of lines intersecting at right angles the aforementioned series.

2. A game apparatus comprising a plurality of playing elements, each having a face thereof normally exposed and one normally concealed, each of said faces bearing as a distinctive indicium a single one of a group of related symbols, and a playing board having marked out on opposite parallel sides thereof one enclosed space corresponding to each different symbol used, with each such enclosed space having therein a distinctive indicium representing said symbol, said enclosed spaces being arranged in alignment parallel to the said sides of the board, spaces marked with corresponding symbols being connected by a series of straight lines parallel to the other two sides of the board, and progressively increasing in number across the board as each set of corresponding spaces is joined, the rst set of spaces being joined by a single straight line and the last by as many parallel straight lines as there are symbols, and a second similar series of lines intersecting at right angles the aforementioned series.

3. A game apparatus comprising a plurality of playing elements, each having a face thereof normally exposed and one normally concealed, each of said faces bearing as a distinctive indicium a single one of a group of related symbols, the number of related symbols and the number of playing elements being to each other as n is to the combination of markings on each piece being diierent from the combination of markings on any other piece.

4. A game apparatus comprising a plurality of playing elements each having a face thereof normally concealed and one normally exposed, each face of each element bearing as its distinctive marking a single one of a plurality of related indicia, the ratio of the number of elements to the number of indicia being such that each possible combination of two indicia will be found on somev one, and only one, playing element in the set,

a playing board having marked out on opposite parallel sides thereof one enclosed space for each different symbol, each said space being marked with a device to indicate said symbol and adapted to receive such playing elements as have such symbol exposed to view at the start of the game and hold them in reserve until they have been played on the board pursuant to the rules of the game, a plurality of lines` drawn parallel to the other two sides of the board connecting the said spaces, a plurality of lines similarly drawn at right angles to and intersecting said connecting lines, said intersections indicating the points where an element is to be played on the board pursuant to the rules of the game, the intersections designating combinations for which there is no playing piece being specially marked.

5. A game apparatus comprising a plurality of playing elements each having a face thereof normally concealed and one normally exposed, each face of each element bearing as its distinctive marking a single one of a plurality of related indicia, the ratio of the number of elements t0 the number of indicia being such that each possible combination of two indicia will be found on some one, and only one, playing element in the set, whereby, when said elements have been shuffled and laid out on a playing surface each with one symbol exposed, a player may attempt to identify any one of the concealed symbols for purposes of scoring, and may, before he does so, deduce his probability of success from his knowledge of what symbols have appeared on elements previously played, what symbols appear on exposed faces of elements played or still unplayed, and hence what possibilities are open to his selection; said probability of success ranging from absolute certainty to a ratio of one t0 a number equal to one less than the total number of symbols.

HERBERT F. SCOFIELD. 

